


Phantom thieves in MY neighbourhood!?

by Amaoren



Category: Persona 2, Persona 5
Genre: Akechi Goro Has A Palace, Akechi Goro Lives, Akechi Goro Redemption, Canon-Typical Violence, Detective Akechi Goro, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Kurosu Jun & Suou Tatsuya Are the Parents of Persona 5 Protagonist, M/M, Mementos (Persona 5), Persona 5 Protagonist Has A Palace, manwhore protag, ren is a suou, selectively mute ren amamiya, selectively mute tatsuya suou
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-05
Updated: 2020-07-05
Packaged: 2021-03-05 01:28:35
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,930
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25076143
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Amaoren/pseuds/Amaoren
Summary: Persona 5 but morgana is a regular cat and not in the story, i change the chronology and TatsuJun are Ren's parents.
Relationships: Akechi Goro/Amamiya Ren, Kitagawa Yusuke/Persona 5 Protagonist, Kurosu Jun & Persona 5 Protagonist, Kurosu Jun/Suou Tatsuya, Persona 5 Protagonist & Suou Tatsuya, Persona 5 Protagonist/Original Character(s), Persona 5 Protagonist/Philemon, Persona 5 Protagonist/Sakamoto Ryuji, and he's not exactly teeming with personality, i just think hes neat - Relationship, i mean its philemon, sort of - Relationship
Comments: 1
Kudos: 21





	1. Probation diarys and nightmares

_"Damn brat, I'll sue!"_

**. . .**

"...en? Ren, you alright?" The frizzy haired boy blinked, and nodded. "Are you sure? I wouldn't mind if you were angry at me or Tacchi. I think we deserve it, really. We couldn't do anything to stop you from being prosecuted, or expelled." Said Jun, tiredly.

"Really, it's fine Papa. You did all you could with dad and Uncle Katsuya, but neither of them are police anymore. They had no say. No one did." Ren signed, looking at his hands rather than at the black haired man. A year of probation in Tokyo, all for pushing a (apparently extremely rich and influencial) man off a woman. A year of probation for doing the right thing (Ren would never back down from that). He almost laughed and only restrained himself for his fathers sake. "So, where will I be living again?"

"With a cafe owner in Yongen-Jaya. You'll have to take the train to school, though I'm not sure which lines. Oh, speaking of which, the next stop is Shibuya. We'll have to transfer lines to get to Yongen." Jun explained, rubbing Ren's arm in a soothing fashion. Ren sighed, and gripped his bag tighter. His parents didn't deserve all this stress. Maybe he would have minded less if he alone had to carry the burden. But not his parents.

**. . .**

_He sat quietly, ashamed with puffy eyes, with his posture stiff and straight. Outside, he saw his dad, red hot and angry. The moment Tatsuya Suou had entered the building, Ren had looked at the table, afraid to meet his fathers eye. But in the moments he did look up, no anger seemed to be directed at him. The door clicked open, and so entered an officer and his father.  
_

_"You're free to go, and they're expecting you in court on wednesday," the officer had said._

_Ren had stood up, intently looking at the floor and walked out of the room like a zombie (He might as well be dead anyway)._

_When he and his father are both outside, Tatsuya had tried to turn Ren around gently, but the moment he had touched Ren's arm, Ren's legs gave out and he had began to start sobbing loudly, signing his side of the story quickly, panicked. When he had finished, Tatsuya had crouched and hugged him tightly, only saying_

_"I believe you."_

_After that it had been a blur of angry and desperate phone calls, a trial that had been blazed through, where the accuser didn't bother even showing his face and finally boarding a train with his other father, while Tatsuya had stayed in Sumaru with his younger brother Akira and his cat Morgana. They had hugged, and Akira had even tried to stuff Morgana in his bag, "For Luck," he had said. Even the cat seemed to not want to let him go. After Jun had extracted the cat, his uncles and aunts had hugged him, with uncle Eikichi somehow sneaked an entire guitar into his things. Hopefully Sakura didn't mind his playing._

_Tatsuya had pulled him aside, and handed an engraved zippo lighter to Ren. "Your father gave me this when we were children. I had carried this ever since that day, and I hope that it protects you in Tokyo."  
_

**. . .**

Ren hadn't realised that he had fallen asleep until Jun was shaking him awake at Yongen Station. They had gathered his things and slowly, as if weighed down by chains, made their way through the backstreets. They had first tried Sakura's home, though the postman had told them he was out. They then headed to LeBlanc. "It's not too bad in Yongen, Ren. You've got a supermarket, doctor, batting cage, second hand and a public bath. You shouldn't be too bad, right?" Jun said, opening the door to the cozy cafe.

"It would be better if I was here on a scholarship, not probation," said Ren, dismissively signing. No matter how nice a house or cafe, or the homeliness of the streets, they served as a constant reminder that Tokyo was his prison. Jun sighed, and walked in after Ren. The cafe was basically empty, save for an elderly couple and a middle aged man, who seemed entirely engrossed in his crossword. The elderly couple left quite soon after Ren and Jun arriving.

"Hello, are you Sakura-San? I'm Jun Suou, we spoke on the phone? This is Ren." Introduced Jun, smiling without any real joy. Sakura(?) left his crossword on the counter and stood up, dusting his apron.

"Ah, yes, Suou-San, yes, I believe we did. I thought it would be just the kid though," Sakura said, glancing at Ren. His gaze was unreadable to Ren, who looked down at his feet like they were incredibly interesting. "I'm Sojiro Sakura. Nice to meet you, kid." the gruff man nodded at Ren, who bowed shallowly. "Actually, Suou-San, there had to be a change regarding his stay. You see, my daughter has been struggling with extreme social anxiety for a while, and lately health reasons have been keeping her at home, so he'll have to sleep in the cafe attic. I know it's not ideal, but it's the only thing that can work right now."

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that, Sakura-san. I believe Ren has no objections, and I know that we cannot afford to be picky, especially with Ren's... circumstances." Jun said.

"It's ok. You can criminal record," said Ren, quietly. Sakura chuckled at that.

"At least you know how bad your situation is. Come on, I'll show you where you'll spend the next year," Sakura gestured upstairs, and began to walk up.

"Are you ready?" Asked Jun, holding Ren's hand and squeezing it reassuringly.

"Hopefully."

* * *

"Well, uh, the room is... big." Ren said, intelligently. What he really wanted to say was that this room was a pigsty, dusty and cluttered.

"Sorry, the stuff with Futaba, my daughter, recently escelated to a point that I'm the only person she can barely be around. You'll have to clean up the rest. Oh, and regarding your mutism, I know some basic sign language, you'll have to excuse me if it takes a while to click." Sakura said, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. "Suou-San, are you helping out your son or would you like a cup of coffee?"

"I'll help Ren, thank you for the offer."

The older man soon retreated downstairs after mentioning Shujin Academy and giving Ren a probation diary.

"He doesn't seem too bad, right? He seemed far worse on the phone." Jun huffed, lifting a heavy box of books.

"Mhm." Ren dusted and mopped absently, his mind constantly wondering. His father soon understood and became quiet too, and they cleaned the attic in a comfortable silence until nightfall. That's when Jun had to depart back to Sumaru, and Ren had to stay.

"I love you," Ren whispered as Jun hugged him tightly. "I love you so much papa."-

"I'll visit. All of us, Tacchi and Akira included," Jun promised. "We won't abandon you."

"You never have," said Ren as Jun boarded. And soon, it was just Ren and Sakura.

"You must be pretty tired. Head to bed when we get back to LeBlanc." Sakura said, patting Ren's back. He nodded, and followed the man in the pink shirt.

-

**_"Trickster, you are bound by a cruel fate which you cannot escape._ **

**_You must break the chains and free your wings of rebellion._ **

**_Otherwise, ruin is nigh._ **

**_Trickster, complete your rehabilitation,_ **

**_Trickster, Wake up."_ **

-

The next day Sakura had taken him to Shujin, where he had been warned of any misdemeanour being enough for him to end his probation and begin jail time. Under the scrutinising gaze of all the teachers, his only solace was the lighter he clung to tightly in his pocket. "Oh and," The principle (was it Kobayashi or Kobayakawa?) droned, "you'll be under supervision of a third year student." A knock on the door cut him in. "I believe that's his cue. Come in, Choujio-kun."

The door opened, and in stepped in a tall, lean student in the same turtleneck Ren was wearing, but with rolled up sleeves and a waistcoat. He wore the trousers too, but had folded the ends. He had hair long enough to reach to the small of his back if it wasn't in a high ponytail, and his brown eyes shimmered with a golden sheen. On his right eye, he had some sort of birthmark or burn that quite prominently reminded Ren of a butterfly. "Hello, Suou-Kun! I'm Phil Choujio, and I'll be taking care of you." the boy, Choujio, said, smiling politely. "Due to your situation, I'll be picking you up to school for the first two weeks, and having an eye on you for a month, which will be relaxed if you're on good behaviour."

Ren nodded, quietly muttering "please take care of me," and taking out the lighter. before he flicked it (which felt right to do, almost like muscle memory, even if he had never done it before) he read the inscription that he had ben running his thumb over nervously. _"The most important things cannot be seen with the eyes."_ He smiled bitterly, and flicked it open and closed. Soon they left the principles gabinet with a student ID, and were headed home, where Ren discovered Sakura's road rage. He just wanted to curl up disappear. He didn't need a _babysitter_. When they got back, Sakura locked the place up, forgot to flip the sign and had Ren do it.

Even with the cafe being empty at the time when he had arrived, when he alone was in the cafe, it felt hauntingly lonely. Ren sat down in a booth, and began to cry, gripping the lighter in his hand, hoping somehow it would take him home. He didn't regret anything. He just wanted to be home with his parents, brother and extremely talkative cat. He sat silently in the booth, until he decided sleep was more important.

-

**_His dream was tinged blue, and he felt endangered. He woke up, jumping up from his... bed? Two twin girls looked out at him from behind bars (or was he behind bars?), and they turned to focus all attention on an impish old man behind a desk. Ren stood up, now in tattered prisoners garb, constrained with manacles and a ball and chain._ **

**_"Welcome to the Velvet Room," the imps voice boomed, deep and dark. "I am Igor. Pleased to make your aqcuiantance, Trickster."_ **

**_"Trickster?" Ren asked, clutching at the bars._ **

**_"You are the Trickster, the one who will, through his own rehabilitation, rehabilitate the world and save it from the end."_ **

**_"The end!? What the hell are you talking about?"_ **

**_Igor_ _chuckled_ _,_ _and a bell rang. He felt himself drop to the floor, and with a crack, he hit his head._ **

-

This time Ren really did wake up, and Seven o'Clock was telling him that he better start getting dressed or he's out on the streets. He dismissed the bizzare dream, chalking it up to stress, and headed downstairs, where Sakura greeted him with coffee and... curry?

"You gotta eat and drink it while it's still hot, kid," Sakura said, behind the counter, "Otherwise the taste will mellow."

"Curry for... breakfast?" Ren asked.

"You don't have to eat it if you don't want to." Said Sakura, threateningly. Ren gulped and sat at the counter, experimentally trying a spoon, to discover the curry was... really good, actually. Balanced spices, and a homey flavour.

"It's amazing," said Ren, gulping down another spoonfull. Sakura smiled.

"I'm glad to hear that, mr delinquent."

They sat in silence, save for the bubbling pot of curry and Ren's spoon scraping against the plate every so often. As he finished up, there was a knock on the door. Ren grabbed his bag, and with a "Good luck, country boy," from Sakura, he headed to Shujin with Choujio.


	2. Looking cool, Joker!

"How are you, Suou-Kun? You must be tired with all that has been going on." Choujio sighed, holding his school bag tightly. "Sometimes you can get a seat. It's a good idea to read a book then to pass the time." Ren nodded, and left the carriage the moment the door opened. The rumours about the Tokyo trains were real, and they were not exaggerated.

"Phil isn't a very Japanese name, Choujio-San," Ren said, quietly. Choujio smiled a bit.

"You're right, haha. My fathers side, I believe, had English origins, and they all had non-Japanese names. I'm guessing it was to uphold tradition," He explained, gesturing over to the Ginza line entrance. "It's the only thing thats left of him, ever since he and my mother left me to rot."

"Oh... Oh my god, I'm so sorry!" Ren spluttered, panicked.

"It's fine Suou-Kun, it's been so long I don't care. Children aren't for everyone, and apparently birthmarks are the devils brand." said Choujio. "Oh no, it's pouring! Please tell me you brought an umbrella, Suou-Kun! Mine broke last week..."

Shit.

"I left it at LeBlanc with Sakura-San." he said. "We'll have to walk through the rain, Choujio-San."

"Ah, your blazer will smell though! I'm fine since I don't wear mine... How about throwing it into your bag until we get into school, Suou-Kun?"

Ren began to slide the blazer off, revealing braces and the clean turtleneck. "Ren's fine, by the way. My brother is the Suou-Kun." He said, folding the blazer and stuffing it into the bag.

"As you wish, Ren-Kun. You may call me Phil if you want, too."

Ren nodded, and they exited the cart at Aoyama-Itchiome.

_"It's him..."_

_"Did you hear the rumours!?"_

_"Why is Choujio-San with that delinquent?"_

_"I heard he's done it all: alcohol, drugs..."_

"Phil-San..." Ren whispered, hand darting into his pocket to grab the lighter.

"Wh- How do they know!?" Phil said in a hushed voice, though alarmed. "Come on Ren-Kun, we need to talk to Principle Kobayakawa or someone. This is unacceptable."

They sped up, jogging through the rain, until they noticed a shop with a ledge that prevented rain. They decided to take a breather, they still had time before school began. Ren checked his phone, the app that he had deleted (not once, not twice, thrice!) had reappeared. Another person taking shelter from the onslaught of rain stood in the door way. The person wore a cream hoodie and red tights with their uniform.

"Oh, Takamaki-Kun! Did you forget your umbrella like us?" Choujio asked the person, who took off their hood. It was a second year girl with blonde hair that reminded Ren of his aunt Lisa. She had green eyes and smiled awkwardly.

"Haha, yeah Choujio-Senpai. Who's this guy?" Takamaki asked, pointing at Ren (Rude, Ren thought).

"This is the transfer student, Ren Suou. I think he's in Miss Kawakami's"

Ren nodded and as Takamaki was going to elaborate, a car pulled up. "Ann-Chan, do you need a ride?" the man inside asked. He had black curly hair and the most impressively square chin Ren had ever seen. Takamaki nodded, and got in shotgun. "What about you two?"

Ren smiled shyly and shook his head. "No, Mr Kamoshida. Thank you for the offer, but we must be heading to school. The rain will make us late." Phil curtly declined, the most formal and stern Ren had seen him up until now. The car left, and a bottle blonde went running after it, until stopping.

"Damn you Kamoshida! Effing pervert!" the (true) delinquent yelled.

"Calm down, Sakamoto-Kun." Phil said, stepping out of the cover. "You know we don't have any proof, as much as I want him gone too."

"Ugh but Choujio! That effing Kamoshida thinks he's the king of a castle!"

"Kamo... Shida? Pervert? ...Castle?" Ren asked.

_-Beginning Navigation-_

"Huh? Who are you?" Sakamoto growled.

"The transfer student, Ren Suou." Phil answered.

"Oh, thats why he doesn't know Kamoshida." Sakamoto sighed. "Come on, I know a shortcut to school. Both of you look like drowned rats."

"Sakamoto-Kun! You're a saviour!" cried Phil, jogging behind Sakamoto. Soon the three of them were silently traversing a tight alleyway, and as they left, Sakamoto gasped, and Phil followed his cue. Ren also did, when he saw the school plaque, but not the school. A huge stone castle loomed threateningly above them, the rain ceasing.

"This... is our school?" he said, jaw-dropped.

"I, I guess so? It's where it's meant to be!" Phil said, taking a shaky (although Ren was sure he had pictured it as confident in his head) first step, and entered the western castle. He and Sakamoto exchanged glances, and followed the ponytail boy. It wasn't soon before a large guard stopped them and knocked them out, and when Ren awoke, Sakamoto was yelling in some cell while Phil sat on the bed next to his. "You're up, Ren-Kun! I was starting to get worried..."

"Wh-Where are we?" asked Ren, standing up with a pounding headache.

"That's what I want to know." said Sakamoto, kicking the bars in front of him.

As if on command, a guard came by again, and told them of their death sentence.

"We can work something out! I would like to speak to your ruler!" Phil said, stepping in front of Ren and pulling Sakamoto back, as if to defend them with his lithe body. Ren's eyes widened as the door opened and a tall, muscular... naked man walked in with two more knights.

"And why would I want to speak to trash like you?" a vaguely familiar voice said, golden eyes looking down at the three.

"Kamoshida!?" Phil and Sakamoto gasped, and the blond stepped back, shaking.

"I see both of you are still defying me, and pulling another slave amongst you. Have you no shame?" Kamoshida(?) said, voice oddly distorted, like it was autotuned. "Should I break your legs again, Sakamoto? Or maybe teach your body again, Choujio? What will it take for both of you to learn to not rebel?" Kamoshida's eyes wandered from Sakamoto to Phil, Phil to Sakamoto and rested on Ren. The frizzy haired boy gulped, once again reaching for his father's lighter. "Let's start with his punishment, hm? Maybe I'll spare you if he entertains me enough." With a snap of his fingers, Phil and Sakamoto were restrained by guards opposite to Ren, and Kamoshida looked at him with an evil gleam in his eye.

_I don't want to die I don't want to die I don't want to die I don't want to die I don't want to die I don't want to die I don't want to die I don't want to die I don't want to die I don't want to die I d **on't want to die!**_

A girl's voice, quiet and melancholy flooded his head as he watched a blue butterfly slow time with the flap of its delicate wings. " _...You are held captive. A prisoner of fate to a future that has been sealed in advance. This is truly an unjust game... Your chances of winning are almost none. But if my voice is reaching you, there may yet be a possibility open to you."_

His head throbbed, a new wave of pain washing over him. A voice echoed in his mind.

" _What's the matter...? Are you simply going to watch?_ "

" _Are you giving up for hope of their survival?_ _Death awaits them if you do nothing._ "

" _Was your previous decision a mistake then?_ "

(You know my true feelings, Ren thinks. Mere words aren't needed.)

" _Very well... I have heeded your resolve._ "

" _Vow to me._ " The voice paused." _I am thou, thou art I..._ "

" _Thou who art willing to perform all sacrilegious acts for thine own justice!_ "

" _Call upon my name, and release thy rage!_ _Show the strength of thy will to ascertain all on thine own, though thou be chained to Hell itself!_ "

Kamoshida smirked ominously, and Ren smirked back. Then, the screaming began, until a burst of stygian blue flames manifested a white domino mask. "That's enough, you utter bastard of lust!" Ren yelled, suprising Phil and Sakamoto. "Come, Arséne!"

And the blue flames swallowed him.

Arséne, a towering demon, kicked at the knights gracefully, and they disintergrated into a puff of sticky black smoke. His clothes changed, a charcoal grey leather vest, a black coat, black trousers and krakowes. He tore open the remaining guards, slashing at them in an andrenline powered frenzy as he just fought to live, live, live!

When all the demons were gone, he looked at his peers as the transformation burned away in friendly flames. "Keys." He rasped out, his bones suddenly like lead. Phil nodded, and grabbed both Sakamoto and the dropped cell keys.

"What the eff was that!?" shrieked Ryuji, to which Ren just shrugged tiredly.

"I... I don't know. I just wanted to live, and my... Persona came. That's what that power is called, I think."

"You think!?"

"As much as I would love to stay and chat," interrupted Phil, throwing the keys away, "we have to get out of this surreal place."

Ren and Sakamoto nodded, and bolted down the tight corridor, following any way that seemed to lead somewhere, until they ran into a dead end.

"Shit." Sakamoto cursed, and Ren hadn't agreed with him more all morning. Was it still morning? It was unimportant.

Ren leaned against the wall that halted their escape, and let himself slide down. Was this really the end? He didn't want to die. Not like this, not yet. He still had to face his parents and Akira. He still needed to live. He needed to be free.

Another butterfly, this time golden, fluttered by. This time, Phil and Sakamoto noticed it, and the three of them watched it glide next to a withdrawn drawbridge, to land on the bottom lip of a grinning Kamoshida statue. Ren could have sworn the lip dropped a little when it landed, even with the butterfly's miniscule weight. Ren picked himself up, and walked over to the statue, pulling the lip down. The drawbridge fell, allowing them to continue their escape.

"Nice going, RenRen!" Sakamoto grinned, throwing himself over Ren.

"...RenRen?" He asked, confused. When did they get on first name- Nickname basis?

"Ah, I'm Ryuji!" The blond grinned, to which Ren sighed, and gave him a weak smile.

"Let's get out of here then, Ryuji." he said, walking in front of Phil and Ryuji. They continued their treck throughout the castle, Ryuji limping awkwardly every once in a while, but not slowing them down. Until they turned a corner and got jumped by two guards. Ryuji automatically got thrown against the wall, while Ren attempted to dodge every attack he could, and once he had exploded into flames, he attacked with everything he had (which wasn't a lot, only a curse skill, a knife and a physical attack). After an especially hard hit, Ren himself went flying, hitting his head against the bars. Only Phil, standing head to head with Kamoshida(?), who had left the cell as quickly as he had been locked in, chuckled.

"You peasants thought you could trap me in my own world? Choujio, you should know better than standing against me. Rebelling against me." Kamoshida(?) paused. A cruel, snide smile (God, did he ever stop smiling, Ren thought) plastered on his face. "The bruises were pretty easy to hide last time, werent they? You still wore your blazer, and could hide your wrists. You can still easily hide how I hurt you every time you get fucked and moan like a whore!"

"Stop!" Phil cried, arms held spread by two guards. "I never wanted for your filthy hands to touch me!"

"But you gave in the moment I threatened anyone else, didn't you? You let me! You shouldn't of been showing off your body like that! You were seducing me, just like all the girls! Because that's what you are, isn't it!?" Kamoshida(?) shrieked maniacly, grabbing Phils jaw roughly.

"Stop... Please..." Phil said softly, trying to move his head away.

Ren forced himself to stand up, wincing at the throbbing angry pain at his side.

"Are you going to just let him control you!?" He shouted, bracing himself against a prison bar.

Phils eyes widened, and then narrowed as he looked at Kamoshida, and spat in his face.

"Fuck no."

Phil's head began to pound, eyes golden.

_"Finally, you've come to your senses."_

_"Constantly gambling, hoping for the correct ending, even in a game you know to be rigged, wasn't that foolish?"_

_"It's time for you to regain your seat as the card dealer, no?"_

"It's time!" Yelled Phil, thrashing in the hold of the guards, who suddenly let go of him as if burnt. "I won't be submissive any longer!"

_"Good. Well then, time for a contract."_

_"I am thou, thou art I"_

_"For too long have you bowed your head and ignored injustice, too long have you been wronged."_

_"The final deck shall become rigged in our favour!"_

A mask appeared on Phil's face. It covered most of his face, apart from his left cheek and some of his lips. the right side was splattered in golden stripes, with the right eye having butterfly wings grow out. "Time to backraise, Itzpapalotl!"

The impossible flames engulfed him too as he ripped off the mask. His clothes changed. He wore a black shirt with golden arm garters and a golden bowtie. His vest became golden and patterned with black clubs, spades, diamonds and hearts. A short black poncho with small golden butterflies fluttered over his shoulders. His trousers were black, and his shoes became chunky black platform heels.

Itzpapalotl rose behind him, a grand skeletal woman with black hair in a golden headress, adorned with jewels. her arms were colossal butterfly wings, black with bright colourful accents. She wore a colourful poncho, and she began to have flesh on her hips, where she only had legs painted with bones and ended with claws. Her hands were claws too. With a grandiose flap, she blew away the guards and stunned Kamoshida.

"Now! Ren, Sakamoto, go!" He yelled, running for his life. All three of them burst out the entrance, and ran far from the castle, or school, or whatever.

_-Navigation Complete-_

They only stopped running when they had reached their starting point, the beginning of the alley. They looked around, and the feeling of unease was gone. They were back. The three of them gasped for air, bracing on eachother. "Choujio, I- I'm sorry I thought I was the only one who got hurt by that shitbag." Ryuji apologised, looking at Phil.

"It's nothing, Sakamoto. Come on, we're already late as is if it's stopped raining." Phil said quickly, changing the topic. They walked in the direction of Shujin, and about three steps in were stopped by attendance officers. Before they could grill into the three boys, Phil put on a polite smile. "Good afternoon officers! I'm sorry, but I have conditions that force me to leave school. I have a note signed by Principle Kobayakawa if my word isn't enough."

"What about those two?" The gruff officer asked. "Have they got an excuse to be loitering?"

"They were escorting me from the hospital. I have a heart condition, sir, that has to be carefully watched otherwise I will have a backflow of blood and die! They're here in case I have any complications on my way to or from the hospital. Is that enough, sir?" Phil asked, his voice sharp.

The officer was obviously uncomfortable, and after apologising, let them go.

"Woah... Damn, Senpai! I wouldn't think you would use a condition to get-out-of-jail-free!" Ryuji laughed, shocked.

"Oh? That was a lie, haha. I do have permission to be out of school, but I have no heart condition!" Phil said, smiling and rubbing his nape innocently. Ren's and Ryuji's jaws dropped.

"Then... Why are you allowed of school?" Said Ren curiously.

"Ah... well... I'm a professional gambler. I more often deal than play, though. And since I live off of money made through gambling, the school allows for me to miss many days and come in late. I'll cover for us that way." Phil explained as they walked over to the school, which was, in fact, a school. No castles anywhere. They walked up the stairs, and were greeted with an exhausted teacher (Kawakami, her name was)

"Ah, Ms Kawakami! I can explain why all three of us are all late!" Phil said, apologetically.

"... Do you even realise how much I've been covering for you today!?" She hissed. "I said you had a session today, without it being on the schedule and that you decided to bring two delinquents!" She shot Ren a look. "I had to explain to his guardian he had been taken as a helper to Kichijoji by a senpai!"

"I mean, you didn't say anything that wasn't true, Ms Kawakami. I really did take them to help me out in Kichijoji today, especially since Sakamoto-Kun has been interested in card tricks lately!" Phil turned to Ryuji with a shit eating grin. "Aren't you, Sakamoto-Kun?"

"Yes!" Ryuji squealed. "I'm super interested in Senpai's card tricks!"

Kawakami gave them both unimpressed looks. "Uhuh... Well, school ends after sixth period today, so you two, back to your classes. Me and Suou-Kun have some business to take care of."

And so, they split ways, Phil on the first floor, Ryuji on the second, and Ren in the faculty office. And all of them had only one thought.

_"What the hell happened today?"_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Uh if you want heres some doodles of Phantom Thief Phil and his persona  
> Phil: https://imgur.com/a/SYvnBhr  
> Itzpapalotl: https://imgur.com/Vj0mWsE


End file.
